Event: Today saw the 2MBS FM book and record bazaar on at the Balmain Town Hall. For those of you who don’t know, 2MBS is the Sydney-based classical music radio station, which started broadcasting in 1975. It survives on donations and advertising, but they also run these events periodically to raise money for their operations.

Drove out of my flat at about 8:40 a.m. and down Canterbury Road, turned right into New Canterbury Road, through Petersham, then left into Crystal Street, across Parramatta Road into Balmain Road, across the City West Link, then turned right at the top of the hill into Darling Street. The Balmain Town Hall is located at number 370 Darling Street. There was a parking space right across the street.

There were about ten people waiting for the doors to open and I joined the queue. We trundled up the old staircase when the doors opened at 9:00 and into the hall at the top. It’s an old building but still quite sound. Across the street is the local fire station, which is in a building that was constructed in 1894.

Found a nice collection of titles on the novels table at the back of the room and purchased 11 books for $44. They are:

White Teeth, Zadie Smith (2000)
The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje (1992)
The Heather Blazing, Colm Tóibín (1992)
Paradise, Toni Morrison (1998)
Beloved: A Novel, Toni Morrison (1987)
Dark Palace, Frank Moorhouse (2000)
Accord on Crimes: A Novel, E. Annie Proulx (1996)
A Perfect Peace, Amos Oz (1985)
Angels & Insects, A. S. Byatt (1992)
Possession: A Romance, A. S. Byatt (1990)

Also rifled the poetry and drama table, as I like to find old editions of poetry when given the chance. I found a beaut little collection of English poetry: The English Poets subtitled ‘Selections with Critical Introductions by Various Writers and a General Introduction by Matthew Arnold’. It is volume 2 in a series and covers Ben Jonson to Dryden. It was published in 1920.

I arrived back home after driving around the back of Leichhardt, across Parramatta Road and all the way up Canterbury Road from the railway line. The entire adventure took just on an hour. A good morning’s work, I think. I also picked up the newspapers. When I got home I had a call from mum. I'm planning to visit them in Maroochydore in early July and she was calling about the accommodation. The last time I visited was in the Echo in December.